Window-covering.



J. E. MEDLAND & L. E. GAPPS.

WINDOW COVERING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1908.

Patented Aug. 31-, 1909.

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UNITED s AT s PATENT oEEicE.

101m E. MEDLAND AND LEwIs E. cal ers, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

WINDOW-COVERING.

To all whom it may concern:

and LEwIs E. C rrs, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of the city of Seattle,in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Cove erings, of which the following is a specification. i y 1 Our invention aims primarily to provide a covering for windows, adapted to contain a fluid with which is related a suitable alarm means which will be set in operation by lowering of the level of such fluid.

A further object resides in the provision of a construction of this character which 1 while serving as a guard, is preferably transparent or translucent and of a nature which i can be readily broken so that in the event of fire, it will not act as an obstruction tothe windows or other exits of a building over which it might be arranged.-

Other objects will beset forth as the description progresses and these features of construction and combinations of part-s in which our invention resides, succinctly defined in the annexed claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout: Figure 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating the application of one form of our invention to a window, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section illustrating on enlarged scale the upper portion of one of thehollow members of the window covering andthe circuit make and break means carried thereby, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical View.

The covering as now constructed comprises a series of hollow members 1, spaced:

apart across the window or other opening of a building, as desired and havlng their upper and lower end portions suitablyembedded,

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 10, 1908. Serial No. 452,518.

Fig. 2), in which stems 3 are slidably engaged.

Contacts 5, as now considered, comprises pairs of plates, one plate of each .pair being arranged on the under face of the adjacent cover and the other on the upper face thereof as clearly shown. The plates of each pair are connected, as by pins 7,, whereby upon being engaged by either of the contacts 4, 4 thejalarmwill be sounded as will be more clearly set forth hereinafter.

j, "Reference numeral 8 indicates an alarm means inthe form .of a bell which may be arranged atany desired point in the building, the same being included in an electric circuit comprising line wires A, B from which branch wires a, 6 lead to contacts 5 and the respective circuit make and break means, see Fig. 3.

Our invention is adapted for use as a covering for the windows of prison cells and in this connection the hollow members can be formed of any desired material. It is also adapted for use in connection'with private dwellings and other buildings and when so used it is desirable that the hollow members be formed of transparent or translucent material as illustrated.

. A convenient manner of arranging the electric connections between the hollow members 1 is illustrated in Fig. l in which a block 9 having a removable cover 10, is arranged in the wall of the building over the window,as for example, in the lintel 11 of the window frame, said block being formed with Vertical passages 9, having caps 6 fitted therein, and a horizontal communicating conduit 9".

Now, in operation, should one of the hollow members 1 be broken the fluid contained therein, as shown in Fig. 2, will be discharged, thereby allowing the float 2 to lower until contact 1 engages contact Should any of thefloats 2 be lifted, as through the introductionof air or a wire through a small aperture bored in the hollow members, contacts 4 will upon engaging contacts 5 complete the electrical circuit and sound the alarm.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 4 ters Patent of the United States of America, 1s:

1. A- hollow window covering adapted to contain a fluid, a float arranged therein to be engaged and supported by the fluid, an

Patented Aug 31, 1909.

electrical circuit including an alarm means,

and circuit make and break means included in said circuit carried by said-float.

2. A :WindoW covering comprisinga plu: .5 rality of unconnected hollow members, each adapted to contain fluid float means in said members arranged to be suppor fluid therein, an electrical circuit including an alarm means, and circuit make and break- 10 means; included in said circuit carried by said float means. v In combination with the. WlIlClOW frame, a plurality of independent tubes each adapted to receivea fluid, extending across the 15 same and havingjtheir. end portions secured therein, an electrical circuit including an alarm neans, a float ineach of said tubes and circuit make andbreak.means included in said circuitcarried by said floats.

a plurality of independent vtubes each adapted to receive fluid, said tubes being spaced apart ted by the l. In combination with the Window frame,

and extending vertically to form a covering, the lintel of saidwindow frame bemg hollow and'formed with openings to receive-the up- .per end portions of said tubes, a block re- Vashington this 17 Witnesses ARLITA. ADAMS,- STEPHE A, BRQO,KS. 

